Vatican ordered to pay damages for radio electrosmog

Station ''saddened'' by supreme court's decision

(ANSA) - Rome, February 25 - Vatican Radio expressed
''sadness'' Friday after Italy's supreme court upheld an order
for it to pay damages to a small town near Rome because of
electromagnetic pollution created by its transmitters.

The case exploded in 2001 when it emerged that
'electrosmog' produced by transmitters near Cesano exceeded
levels allowed by Italian law.

The station swiftly cut the strength of its signals, but
the case went to court amid news reports that referred to a
regional health authority study which found children in the
Cesano area were six times more likely to develop leukemia than
their peers elsewhere.

''It's a great victory. Finally justice is done and the
poeple of Cesano will be able to have the compensation they are
rightfully due,'' said Codacons President Carlo Rienzi.

''We're satisfied. Now we'll see what happens with the
other more serious question of the increase in mortality for
leukemia among Cesano inhabitants''.
Vatican Radio denied its transmitters had caused health
problems for local people and said it had always respected
international treaties on emission limits.

It also pointed out that the supreme court ruled against it
even though prosecutors had agreed with the station's arguments
and asked for the charges to be dropped.

''This sentence comes at the end of a long, stormy trial
process which has seen the pontifical broadcaster subject to
unjust accusations,'' a Vatican Radio statement said.

''Since an agreement with the Italian government in 2001,
the limits set by Italian law have been attentively respected,
as shown by repeated measurements carried out by the competent
Italian public institutions.

''There is no justified reason for concern for any part of
the population''.
Rome's Court of Appeal will decide how much Vatican Radio
will have to pay in damages.

The supreme court also upheld a previous ruling that
overturned a 10-day suspended sentence handed to Cardinal
Roberto Tucci, the former head of Vatican Radio's management
board, by a lower court.